Smithfield supers OK ordinance for data center parking

Smithfield Township's Board of Supervisors passed ordinance No. 209, which establishes the number of parking spaces for a data center based on its square footage

Wayne Witkowski

Smithfield Township's Board of Supervisors passed ordinance No. 209, which establishes the number of parking spaces for a data center based on its square footage.

The ordinance calls for 2.5 spaces per 1,000 square feet and one space for every additional 1,000 square feet. Under those ordinance specifications, the planned data center in the township would have 48 spaces.

"The data center is a warehouse with data equipment only and the only people around are security people and people who come around to maintain the equipment," said Bill Hopkins, representing Penn Regional Business Center, which is developing the center on Route 447 and still is finalizing a tenant. Hopkins said there would be no call for space bonding, which means reserving open land for future surfacing for parking if it were needed.

Supervisors Chairman Brian Barrett, who did not attend but had a telephone hookup, said that "if the building use were to change, it would fall under the ordinance specifications that apply (to that type of building)."

Resident Dave Orlando said the ordinance needs to limit guidelines to a data center and not include a disaster recovery/relief center as previously stated in the ordinance. If it were the latter case, there would be need for more parking because more personnel would be needed in that case, he said.

Supervisors also set May 28 for a hearing on the official map ordinance. They'll hold a workshop at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday for further discussion of the flood plain ordinance. Without one, Supervisor Steve Carey said residents could not get flood insurance.

The board also rejected Smithfield Village resident Matthew McNeill's appeal of their denial for a joinder deed for a lot he had purchased next to his property that his community indicated as a recreational lot for resident's use. McNeill pointed out that the county already had approved his request prior to the township's denial but the supervisors said the original designation for that lot set back in 1968 standards.

"The nomenclature is as compelling as who owns the property," said Supervisor Christine Griffin.

"We don't want to set a precedent where others would come forward looking for a joinder deed for a property dedicated as a recreational site," Carey said.